This invention relates to connector housing means of the type which are intended for mounting on a stator of an electric motor. Housings of this general class have terminal receiving cavities in which the coil wires of the stator are positioned and which receive contact terminals so that the coil wires are connected to the terminals. The terminals further have provision for connection to conductors which extend from the stator. A variety of housing members of this type are in use in the motor industry; see, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,725,707 and 4,038,573.
The instant invention is specifically directed to the achievement of connector housing for a commonly used type of stator for a multi-pole electrical motor in which the faces of the stator are provided with an insulating coating of an epoxy resin or a similar material. The coatings provided on stators of this type are of varying and nonuniform thickness from one stator to another and these coatings furthermore vary in thickness from one portion of the face of the stator to another portion of the face. Because of the presence of this nonuniform coating, the stators do not have the dimensional precision which is usually associated with stamped metal parts and previously known types of connector housings can not be satisfactorily mounted on these stators.
In accordance with the principles of the instant invention, a connector housing is provided which has a terminal housing portion and a stabilizing rib which extends laterally from one of the sidewalls of the terminal housing. The free end of the rib has clamping fingers thereon which are dimensioned and contoured such that they will bear against portions of the pole members of the stator when the housing is located on one face of the stator with the rib extending inwardly towards the center of the stator. The clamping means on the end of the rib is such that the housing can be securely mounted on the stator even if the actual thickness of the stator varies widely from the nominal thickness thereof. The actual thickness will, of course, vary widely if the surface or face of the stator is provided with a thick and uncontrolled coating of insulating material.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved housing which is intended to be mounted on the stator of an electric motor. A further object is to provide a housing which can be mounted on stators of varying thicknesses. A further object is to provide a connector housing which is intended for mounting on a motor stator having improved mounting means.